Apparatus for shaping hat-brims



(No Model.)

I H. HOYT. APPARATUSFOR SHAPING HAT BRIMS. No. 253,818. Patented Feb.14,1882.

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\A THJEEEEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUCIUS H. HOYT, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR SHAPING HAT-BRIMS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 253,818, dated February14, 1882.

Application filed Januaryfi,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LUCIUS H. HoYT,-'ofDanbury, Fairfield county, in the State of Connecticut, haveinventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Shaping Hat- Brims;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdescription thereof.

v hats is usually done by hand by skilled operators, who shape thepreviously heated and softened brims with their fingers only, giving thebrims the curves which their judgments dictate.

There are many sizes of hats, and it is obvious that there may be aninfinite varietyof shapes. The fashion must be conformed to with greatrapidity, so that a manufactory employing a large number of men musthave shaping apparatuses containing some means of conforming to therequired droop and breadth not only for one size but for many sizes, andnot only for one workman but for many workmen. Myinvention attains theend with great facility and at small cost. I provide a bisectionalblock, the two acting parts of which are capable of approaching andreceding, pro vided with means for adjusting the extent of such motion.Upon these I mount by easily provided means false blocks which havesufficient thickness to give a proper amount of stability, and to allowall the required variety of shapes. The false blocks, being capable ofshaping by sawingfrom a suitable wood,'and beingrapidly smoothed byordinary tools, may be provided in any required numbers with economy anddispatch, and, being of little bulk, can be stored in a small space,ready for future use. By this means a large manufactory'can set a numberof men at work instantly on any style of hatbrim which has been madebefore, or can in a few hours commence shaping a new style, and each mancan for himself instantly adapt his apparatus to treating any size orshape.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a perspective view, showing the device adjusted for work.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, showing the device in 5 5 theact of being changed to adapt it for brims of a different width or form.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the movable part detached, and on alarger scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre- 6o sponding parts in allthe figures. A and B are the two false blocks, having their uppersurfaces carefully and accurately shaped, against which the operatorpresses. and dexterously rubs the heated brim to give it the propershape. Each is plane on'its under surface, except where it is bored withtwo plain holes, adapted to engage on dowels or pins extending up frombelow. These dowels are marked b b, and are set one pair in a support,C, fixed immovably on a bed, C, which is formed with a guideway, c, andthe other pair in a movable support, D, guided by the way 0, and capableof being adjusted nicely thereon by a screw, E, extending through thecorrespondingly-tongued lower portion of the part D and engaging in thebed C. The false blocks A B are moved together by turning the screw E inone direction, and apart by turning the same in the opposite direction,the changes the false blocks should be of such size as to fit tightlyupon the dowels. The dowels should be glued or otherwise permanently setin the supports C and l). The movable support 1) should engage in thegrooves :in the sides of the guideway 0, so as to keep its positionprop- 5 erly while the false blocks are changed. The bed C should beportable or capable of being easily turned around to accommodate theworkman as he manipulates the brims at the front and back successively,so that after treating The false blocks are 85 one part he can withgreat facility slide the apparatus untii it is in the position hedesires for treatment of another part.

Brims tend to change a little after shaping, 5 and allowance is made forthat in determining the shape of the parts A and B. To treat a style ofstifi hats in which the side curl of the brim almost touches the bowl orhat-body, or when desired for any other purpose, I propose to attach byscrews to the sides of the blocks A and B thin metal extensions whichshall reach nearly or quite across the openings at the sides betweenthese blocks, supporting the hat very efficient] y against any liabilityto sag at the sides.

The inner surfaces of the parts A, B, 0, and 1) guide the bowl or bodyof the hat when it is placed for treatment in my apparatus and insurethat the brim is presented to the shaping-surfaces properly.

Modifications may be made without departing from the principle orsacrificing the advantages of the invention.

The support 0 and bed 0 may be in a single piece of wood or othersuitable material. I have shown them as separate pieces of wood securedtogether by screws.

The grooved sides of the guideway 0 may be greatly modified or dispensedwith altogether, and any other convenient means adopted for properlyguiding the movable support D.

I claim as my invention- 1. The within-described device for shapingfronts and backs of hat-briins, having two blocks or shaping-surfaces, AB, with means E for conveniently adjusting their distances apart, asherein specified.

2. The combination of the bed 0, having guiding means 0, with the fixedsupport 0, movable support D, dowels b b, and false blocks A B, adaptedto serve relatively to each other and to hats of diiferent sizes,substantially as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Daubury, State ofConnecticut, this 29th day of December, 1881, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LUOIUS H. HOYT.

Witnesses EDWARD ALLEN, F. L. WrLsoN.

